One Thousand Origami Cranes
by GunjiBunny
Summary: Future fic, one shot. Jade Oliver married her High School boyfriend and reflects on the past that could have been until she runs into a familiar face.


**AN - So this one shot has been floating around in my head for a long time now, review and let me know if you want to see it become more then a one shot. Also I do not own any of the characters or the line of song in here.**

Walking swiftly through the revolving doors that led to the walkway Jade Oliver slipped on a pair of dark glasses, hoping not to be stopped by fans again. It had been a long time since that happened since she was pushing fifty, though still recognized as having the body of a much younger woman, and her acting career had ended almost a decade ago with the birth of her twins, Jake and Isaac, with her husband Beck. After graduation the pair got cast as a young married couple in a movie that took their careers off. Despite everything that could have happened they managed to stay together and when they turned twenty one they were married. Looking up at the clouds overhead she contemplated going back to the penthouse and getting an umbrella but instead pulled up the collar of her long, black coat and continued walking her heels clacking on the sidewalk. One of the things she would do to stay in shape was walking everywhere when she could and with the boys on shoot in Rome and Beck directing the newest 007 movie in Britain she was home alone with nothing better to do.

Cutting through a park she sat down to people watch, another past time of hers and smiled at a small group of kids dancing with each other to a blaring radio. Thinking back on the days that had gone past she remembered last year at the class reunion when she had seen everyone from the good old days. Andre and Keeko were their with Keeko being five months pregnant, Andre was already acting like a new dad. Tori and her husband were separated for most of the night and that brought up concerns that Cat brought to me but everything was renewed when he re proposed to her later that night. The only person that was missing was Robbie, it saddened her that they had lost contact with him after graduation. Taking out her new phone she pressed the gallery button and watched as old pictures of the gang in high school came up in the hologram. Swiping her finger everyone vanished except one picture of her and Robbie, her holding Rex above her head as Robbie struggled to get him back. After all those years even after Robbie didn't need Rex anymore he still declared Rex to be a real person.

Closing the photo album she rose to head home however at the edge of the park she heard someone playing the guitar and singing. Turning she saw an older man wearing a long brown coat and blue jeans, a pair of dark glasses matching Jade's. His hair was long but pulled back into a pony tail and the guitar case was open in front of him. Walking closer to him she joined the small group that was listening to him play a song.

"My hopes are so high a kiss might kill me, so why don't you kiss me, so I can die happy?"

Smiling at his words she got lost in the music, the voice was so familiar yet not then she noticed a ring on his right middle finger and it all came rushing back to her.

It was the day before graduation, school was already out and it was Jade and Robbie in the Black Box theater. Robbie was playing a random song of his on the piano while Jade sat on the top of it and just listened.

"What a crazy couple of years?" Robbie asked as his fingers gently ran across the keys.

"Oh yeah, pure insanity."

"Do you think everything's going to change now? I mean you and Beck are back together but how long will it last this time? And Cat's really getting into Broadway musicals now, what if we lose her to New York?" Sighing and hoping down Jade spun to face her enemy, turned best friend before retching the skull ring off her middle finger.

"Take this Robbie, I believe that our friendships will outlast everything. There is no future I see where we are not friends."

Reaching out and taking the ring Robbie slipped it on and went back to playing. Sitting next to him, Jade set her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes, just listening to him play.

Once the man was done and people clapped for him, tossing him a few dollars before heading back to where they had come from Jade stepped forward reaching for his hands but stopped, not believing that this could be her long lost friend.

"Was wondering if you were just going to stand there or actually say something," came the relaxed reply from the man as he collected his money and put away the guitar. She remained silent, stunned so he rose, counting the money, "Almost enough to buy you and Beck's newest movie on blu-ray," Robbie said turning in her direction smile never faltering even when he took off his glasses. Jade gasped seeing that his left eyes was white with a healed cut across it. "Starting to get offended a little." he joked causing her to break free from shock and tumble into him.

"Robbie where have you been? You just disappeared one day and no one could find you, not even your parents." she asked smacking his arms as he held her for a moment before letting her go.

"Got involved in a bad scene, didn't think I was worth anyone's time besides you all got pretty famous." he explained slinging the guitar case onto his back and just standing there, "Though I have been keeping a finger on the pulse of the real scene, enough to know you all turned out great without me." He was now nervously playing with the skull ring.

"Come on," snapped Jade as she turned to walk home, "You're coming home with me"

Not arguing Robbie followed her, back to her place. Dropping his bag and guitar in the entrance way he gaped. "Woah you guys must be millionaires or something."

"Something I guess," she said feeling herself regress back into her high school self, "Drink?"

"No thank you," declined Robbie.

"Suit yourself," muttered Jade as she made herself a dirty martini as Robbie settled down on the couch, picking up a digital photo and looking at the pictures that were there. Smiling at one of the family dressed in black.

"You guys look really happy," he mused as baby pictures passed of the twins as well as a few of Beck on set of movies that he was directing and acting in. There were even a few of Jade on set and one at the Oscars when she won the title of Scream Queen.

"We are, but there's something missing. I'm not the only one that missed you Robbie, what happened?" she said taking a seat next to him.

"I felt like I was the lowest member of the group, with the least amount of talent so I joined this grunge type band. I was supposed to be a stepping stone to a better band but then during an after party the drummer got us hooked on drugs, which just let from one type to another trying to get that fix in. Eventually I got into a fight that cost me my left eyes and that was my wake up call. I got clean, which was an adventure in itself, then I realized that I still had nothing. No friends, no family so I decided to just live. I work at the local grocery store stocking shelves, make enough money to just live a normal life. Sometimes I go to the park and play music to remember the good old days."

By the end of his story Jade was crying, having set her glass aside and moved over to hug her dear friend.

"You idiot, I missed you so much you had more talent then any of us you just needed to refine it. Once you got off drugs you should have looked me up, should have tried to reach me I would have accepted you. Beck would have too, we could have taken you in and helped you. You didn't need to be alone all that time." Pulling back and looking into his eyes she smiled, "You're staying here now, when Beck gets back we'll discuss further living options."

"I cant do that Jade, I have a new life. I would love to include you and the gang in that but face it, we're older now there's no going back so I'm just going to keep working like normal and continue to live my life to the fullest."

"You're hiding something," said Jade carefully.

"You were always so good at reading me Jade, I cant stay with you and Beck because I'm dying and it wouldn't be fair to you guys. Doctor's tell me it's my heart, that I only have a year at best left. Meeting you at the park today wasn't random, I'm trying to make my peace with everyone I guess," he said standing up and wandering around, not wanting to focus on his old friend. His wanderings brought him to an old piano that Jade had sitting down on the bench before pushing back the cover.

Walking over to him Jade stood over her friend, tears running down her cheeks as he began to play a song from long ago. She thought back on all the good times they had together including a night where they joked that they should run off to Vegas and get married to make Beck really jealous after they had broken up. In a way she really loved him, more then just a best friend. Sitting back down next to him on the bench she pushed back her long black hair and rested her head on his shoulder, breathing him and his music in. No matter what happened next they would do it together.


End file.
